Can You Handle A Dental Emergency?

At Felton Dental Care, we hope you never experience a serious dental emergency. It’s important, however, to know what to do in such a situation. Here is a quiz on dental emergencies and less urgent oral issues. 1. One of the wires on your braces breaks. What do you do?

a. Cut off the loose piece. b. Put a piece of orthodontic wax on the end if it is irritating your tongue or gums. Schedule an appointment with your orthodontist to have it fixed. c. If the wire has cut your gums, rinse with a solution of salt and water.

Both b and c are correct. If you don’t have a piece of orthodontic wax, you can use a cotton ball to cover the sharp end. If you cut off the loose end of the wire, you risk swallowing it.

2. Your five year-old falls off his bike, hits his face on the sidewalk, and knocks out one of his front teeth. What do you do before driving immediately to the nearest Frenchtown dental office or Lolo ER?

a. Put the tooth back in the socket. b. If the tooth is dirty, scrub it with a brush. c. Put the tooth in milk.

The answer depends on whether it is a permanent tooth or a baby tooth. If a permanent tooth is knocked out, it may be successfully re-implanted if done quickly. Make sure you only hold the tooth by the crown, never touch the root. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently with water, being cautious not to brush off any tissue attached. It is best to reinsert the tooth into the socket. This may not be possible with younger children. Because it is essential to keep the tooth from drying out on your way to your Frenchtown dentist or nearest Lolo area emergency room, you can put the tooth in a cup of milk. Baby teeth should not be reinserted because it can potentially damage the emerging tooth. 3. You lose a filling and the tooth starts hurting. After scheduling an appointment with your Missoula dentist, what do you do in the meantime?

a. Save the filling. b. Take an OTC pain reliever. c. Put an aspirin on the tooth.

Both a and b are correct. Though your Missoula dentist probably can’t use the same filling to repair the problem, it may reveal important information about the cause of the separation. Never put an aspirin on a tooth because the acid in it could irritate your gums.

4. One of your teeth suddenly darkens. What are the possible causes?

a. The nerve inside the tooth is damaged. b. It is side effect of a medication you are taking. c. Gum disease. d. An infection.

The answer is all of the above.

For any dental emergency or other oral condition, call an urgent dental care office or Felton Dental Care in Missoula. We have been providing quality dental care for Lolo residents since 2007. If you add our address and phone number ((406) 728-0896) to your phone contacts right now, you won’t have to search for it in the case of an emergency. When trying to save a knocked-out tooth, every minute counts.

Felton Dental Care - Dr. Brett R. Felton, DMD

Questions? Looking to Schedule? Contact Us Below!

Name:Email:Phone:

Message:Please leave this field empty.

Follow Us

Write A Review

Award winning Missoula dentist Dr. Brett Felton provides cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, and general dentistry to patients in the Missoula, Montana area including students and faculty from the University of Montana and residents of Orchard Homes, Frenchtown, Wye, Lolo, Stevensville, Ronan, and Hamilton, MT, as well as zip codes 59801, 59802, 59803 and 59808. He enjoys giving back to the Missoula community through Smiles For Life and other initiatives